Customer Reviews

Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents

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I was very frightened when my young daughter began displaying obsessive-compulsive behavior. The scariest part was that I was unable to offer help to her even when she asked for it. I did not know whether to continually reassure, punish, or ignore her. After reading Dr. Chansky's book, I no longer lay awake worrying about her future. This book is full of hope and practical advice that works.

I tried her suggestions and noticed a difference in my daughter's level of anxiety immediately. Dr. Chansky has ways of explaining OCD to a child that make it less scary and more understandable. By treating OCD as a "third person" the child is able to separate the OCD voices from their own reasonable thoughts.

I liked the book so much that I took it to my pediatrician so she could recommend it to other parents of OCD children.

Tamar Chansky really captures the essence of OCD from the patient's point of view. I have lived with OCD since my early teens and have read every book I can find on the subject. I have to say that no other author has so accurately captured the suffering, control, oppressive guilt and desire to break free that the OCD sufferer feels every day. My child has also shown signs of the disorder and fortunately I was able to get her treatment as OCD first reared it's ugly head due to my own experience with the disorder. Dr. Chansky's book is right on. Her recommendations and techniques provide an effective blueprint for parents to follow in saving their children from this insidious robber of normalcy and in helping the family survive the upheaval that accompanies OCD.

When I first realized that my daughter had OCD, I felt as though I had died, or more accurately, she had, and a terrifying stranger had taken my daughter's place. Years later, though I have come to understand this stranger, this enemy who periodically resurfaces and attempts to swallow up her life, and ultimately, our entire family's, I still shudder at its return. This time; however, I was armed! Reading Dr. Tamar E. Chansky's book, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a clearly written and straightforward guide, felt as though I had my own therapist, supporting me step-by-step, reminding me that I can really help my daughter "take charge" of her own life again, by being her most supportive coach. Using crystal clear language, Dr. Chansky defines OCD and walks parents through the process necessary to free their child from its grip. Dr. Chansky manages to address questions and concerns that parents might have without making us feel to blame and helps us to see this disease for what it is -- a biochemical disorder of the brain that can be stopped in its tracks, or at the very least, controlled. I know... Night after night, as I sat at my daughter's bedside, watching her slip back into OCD's hold, I mustered the strength to use Dr. Chansky's recommendations, to remember her advise, and to hold on for dear life to her supportive encouragement. Slowly, I watched my daughter become herself again! Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is invaluable for any parent beginning to suspect that their child might suffer from the disorder or if, like me, they have been tangling with it for many years. It also provides its readers with information about what to look for when searching for professional help, addresses the issue of medication, and provides a useful guide to related books, videos, and organizations. In other words, Dr. Chansky helps parents of children with OCD become educated partners in their recovery. I cannot thank her enough.

I am a mother whose young child experienced an abrupt onset of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder two years ago. Since that time I have read every book available on the subject of OCD in children. Dr. Chansky's book stands out among them for its demystifying explanations of the disorder's symptoms and how they are experienced by the sufferer, and most importantly what to do about them. This book is one I regularly refer to as I help my child along the path toward recovery.

If your child is struggling with OCD, I very much recommend you read "Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder". It has been an invaluable resource for our family, and I am grateful to Dr. Chansky for writing it.

My son was recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and OCD. I immediately began reading all the books I could find on the two disorders, and this one was by far the most helpful. I especially appreciated the author telling us what to tell our children --- how to put it into words they will understand.

Not only did I find help for my son, but I found it for myself as well, as I've struggled with panic disorder for years. The author discusses a variety of anxiety-related disorders and other OCD-related problems, and gives solid advice for taking charge of your own mind. A very useful and informative book!

Wow! Finally the book that gives validity to the disruption that OCD causes in the family .. But better yet, a practical approach for parents .. what to say to stop the cyclic thought process ..Tamar Chansky truly has her hand on the pulse of OCD .You can feel her empathy for the parents as well as the child who suffers from the disease OCD... I highly recommend this book to parents who live their days with concerns about how their child will handle the next moment. Thank You Dr. Chansky

I started to cry as I read this book. When my son was diagnosed with OCD I had never heard of it. Within 10 minutes of his first session with a Psyhchiatrist we were told that he had OCD and needed to begin taking Prozac. I was terrified! So like any parent I hit the library looking for information. I only found 2 sources on OCD. One was called, "The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Washing", and the other was called, "Brain Lock". The first book was case studies, (aged), and really scared me. I thought I might have to commit my son to an institution for help. "Brain Lock" was a bit more helpful. Dr. Chansky's book would have given me hands on suggestions on how to get my kiddo started, but more importantly, I would not have felt that awful nauseous feeling. My kid was spinning out of control and an asprin was not going to make him better. This book is more of a hands on parent-guide. It helps you to look at the illness as a hic-cup in the brain rather then my child is crazy. It also will help families GET STARTED! Yes, these children need medication and behavior modification therapy, but until you find the right people, this book is a blessing. I am happy to say that my son has been in remission for over 2 years. He also knows that when the OC raises it's ugly head he has tools to use to boss back, and that there is no shame in a tune up with the good doctor.

Our 11 year old kid has OCD. She washes her hands 20 times a day, won't use public bathrooms, can't have the letter "s" be the most perfect letter in a sentence because the word "sick" begins with "s", takes 45 minute showers, screams when her sister gets near her because her sister had a cold 3 months ago, and the list goes on.

It took us 4 months and 4 therapists before we found the right one (get a CBT PhD, not a LCSW or other social worker). It was actually us, the parents, who finally labeled it as OCD, rather than just anxiety and worry. If we had this book 4 months earlier, we could have saved a lot of time and money.

This book is the greatest gift, short of being in the doctor's office in person. It hits every aspect flat out right on the head, and you will identify with everything you read. It describes our kid (and many others worse off), and she knows how to fix it. It's a lot of work, and she points that out. But this book gives us confidence that there are others, there is a way, and it does work! Dr. Chansky is the best!

As a parent of an obsessive-compulsive child, I have read many books on the disorder. This is, by far, the best I found. It explains the symptoms so well and offers many practical guidelines for helping your child.

I am a therapist who specializes in treatement of OCD. I recommend this book to the parents of every child I treat. They all find it to be incredibly helpful. The book explains OCD, the different forms of OCD, and ways that parents can help children recover from OCD, rather than enabling their illness.